This application is based on Application No. 2000-040165, filed in Japan on Feb. 17, 2000, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to an apparatus for detecting a passage of a game medium for use in a game machine. More particularly, the invention relates to a game medium passage detecting apparatus for detecting a game medium which passes through an area of detection or area swept by an optical sensor, and a game machine employing same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a group of detection areas in which a plurality of detection areas are set adjacent to one another, an optical sensor is employed corresponding to each of the detection areas when detecting the area through which a game medium has passed. Normally, each of the optical sensors has a light emitting element and a photoelectric detecting element which are respectively arranged above and below the corresponding detection area.
In a system in which one optical sensor is arranged for every detection area, however, when medals are employed as the game media and the medals are detected when rolling, it is difficult to reliably detect the passage of the medals since the thickness of each medal is small and the medals swing from side to side while rolling.
In addition, when the width of each of the detection areas is set sufficiently large with respect to the thickness of the medals, since a plurality of optical sensor sets must be arranged in one detection area at intervals smaller than the thickness of each of the medals, there arises a problem that manufacturing the game machine takes a great deal of time and also the game machine becomes expensive.
To date, with respect to game machines employing disc-like game media, there has never been one designed such that, the detection area, among a plurality of detection areas arranged adjacent to one another, through which the game medium has passed is detected. In game machines as described above, if the optical sensors are respectively arranged above and below the detection areas, the number of optical sensors used therein increases, making it impossible to provide an inexpensive game machine.
In order to detect a medal passing through one detection area, although a light emitting element and photoelectric detecting element may be arranged so as to sandwich therebetween the detection areas, as described above, in the case where the detection areas are adjacent to one another, space for arranging the light emitting elements and the photoelectric detecting elements on both sides of each detection area can not be acquired.
In light of the foregoing, the present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems associated with the prior art, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive apparatus for detecting the passage of a game medium which has a high detection ability and a game machine employing same.
In order to attain the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, there is provided a game medium passage detecting apparatus for use in a game machine in which a game medium is rollably moved on a game board surface in the depth direction of the game board surface, for detecting that the game medium has passed through a detection area on the game board surface, the apparatus comprising: a light-cut-off type optical sensor having a light emitting element for emitting a detection light to the detection area, and a photoelectric receiving element which is arranged so as to face the light emitting element and to sandwich the detection area between the light emitting element and the photoelectric receiving element in order to receive the detection light; and a control section for detecting the passage of the game medium, on the basis of the signals from the optical sensor, wherein the light emitting element and the photoelectric receiving element are arranged such that the optical axis of the detection light extends in a direction which crosses a flat surface containing therein an axis extending in the depth direction of the game board surface in parallel with the game board surface and an axis perpendicularly intersecting the game board surface, and also passes obliquely through the game board surface.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game medium passage detecting apparatus for use in a game machine in which a game medium is rollably moved on a game board surface in the depth direction of the game board surface, for detecting which of a plurality of detection areas set to be adjacent to one another in the cross direction perpendicular to the depth direction, the game medium has passed through, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of light-cut-off type optical sensors each having a light emitting element for emitting a detection light to the detection areas, and a photoelectric receiving element arranged to face the light emitting element and to sandwich the detection areas between the light emitting element and the photoelectric receiving element in order to receive the detection light; and a control section for detecting which detection area the game medium has passed through, on the basis of signals from the optical sensors, wherein each of the light emitting elements and each of the photoelectric receiving elements are arranged such that the optical axis of the detection light extends in a direction which crosses a flat surface containing therein an axis extending in the depth direction of the game board surface in parallel with the game board surface and an axis perpendicularly intersecting the game board surface, and also passes obliquely through the game board surface.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game machine comprising: a game board surface; sending means for sending a game medium to move rollably on the game board surface the game medium in the depth direction of the game board surface; and a game medium passage detecting apparatus for detecting which of a plurality of detection areas, which are set adjacent to one another in a cross direction perpendicular to the depth direction, the game medium has passed through, the game medium passage detecting apparatus including: a plurality of light-cut-off type optical sensors each having a light emitting element for emitting a detection light to the detection areas, and a photoelectric receiving element arranged to face respectively the light emitting elements and to sandwich the detection areas between the light emitting element and the photoelectric receiving element in order to receive the detection light; and a control section for detecting which detection area the game medium has passed through, on the basis of signals from the optical sensors, wherein each of the light emitting elements and each of the photoelectric receiving elements are arranged such that the optical axis of the detection light extends in a direction which crosses a flat surface containing therein an axis extending in the depth direction of the game board surface in parallel with the game board surface and an axis perpendicularly intersecting the game board surface, and also passes obliquely through the game board surface.